Spider's Web
by jcgonzo
Summary: Continuation to Persona 3 ignoring Trinity Soul . Old nightmares die hard, and the past refuses to stay buried. When the night becomes a haven for evil again, SEES must unravel the webs and veils of deceit that threaten the world. Story Complete.
1. Chapter 1

Spider's Web

_Because I hated Trinity Soul so much, I felt forced to write a replacement!_

ONE – EPISODE GHOST

It was a drizzling Sunday morning when they committed his body to the earth. The friends he had made that altogether too short a year, the lives he had touched, stood in mourning and in gratitude. One year, and he had done nothing short of making all of their lives more meaningful, making their loads more bearable. And of the four teens, one child, one android and one dog closest to Minato Arisato... they alone knew of the full extent in which the entire world owed him.

It was a drizzling Sunday morning when they committed his body to the earth. But, in some ways, his spirit had never left them.

* * *

TOKYO, JAPAN; 12:34 AM, 2022

"Yes, we will continue the negotiations via teleconference- no, my apologies, sir, but such an arrangement is currently incompatible with her schedule. Yes, I am sure to pass your message along, sir. Have a good afternoon." The faint blue glow of electronic light in Aigis's eyes dimmed down to their normal levels. "Mitsuru-san, I'm afraid the Juno group is somewhat irate at your unannounced vacation. ...Mitsuru-san?"

Headphone clips slid off her ears. "Hm? My apologies, Aigis. What is it?"

"Oh, nothing. Just the Juno group again. Are you looking forward to seeing everybody again?"

"Mm, yes. Thank you, Aigis, for taking care of it for me."

"It was no problem, Mitsuru-san. We will be landing in a few minutes."

Pilot, secretary, bodyguard and confidant. There are benefits to leading the Kirijo Group- one of which is having Aigis on your side.

* * *

"Hey! Yuka-tan! Lookin' sharp as always!" exclaimed Junpei as he drove up in a beat-up old SUV and got out to open the door for her. "How was your flight?"

"Oh, kami-sama give me strength," she groaned. "Took two hours to get through the security checkpoint. Two hours! How are your students doing?"

"Oh, you know. Same old, same old. Caught a couple in the old equipment storage facilities, some boys sprayed graffiti across the gym walls... were we ever that restless?"

Yukari laughed loudly. "You, of all people, are asking me that?"

"Hey! I wasn't that bad! ...was I?"

* * *

It was a cloudy Saturday.

"Looks like it's about to rain," said a voice behind Fuuka. "I didn't know you were in town, Fuuka-san."

"Oh, Ken-kun. Sorry, I didn't notice you."

"I just got here," said a young man, dressed sharply in the uniform of a nearby college. "Akihiko-san met me at the hotel, said you might be here. Are you alright?"

"Mm-hmm, just reminiscing. How are you and your girlfriend doing?"

"Ah-h, Akihiko-san told you? Um, we're doing alright. I dropped Koromaru off at her place- he's getting pretty old, and I'm worried about him catching a cold."

"That was very kind of you, Ken-kun. Well, I'm done thinking. Is everybody back?"

"Mitsuru-san and Aigis-san will be here soon. May I offer you a ride?"

Fuuka smiled wistfully as she stuck a stick of incense onto the offertory. "Thank you."

* * *

Once a year, every year. During the first few, painful years it was how they held onto each other's sanity. A week of memories, bitter and sweet. A bond that time couldn't break, simply because there was absolutely nobody else in the world, nobody else throughout history, that had gone through what they have together.

The first night was always dinner at Hagakure, and no matter how loudly the others protested, Akihiko always covered the costs. "Listen, I barely used any of the money we found crawling through Tartarus," he explained one year. "And I invested it all to boot. Blame Mitsuru for teaching me something about finances when we were starting out. It's on me, and that's all there is to it. Besides, it's only ramen."

This year, Hagakure was less busy than usual- one of those rare lulls where they had the place almost totally to themselves. The decade anniversary's eve was full of laughter and brevity- and perhaps a bit of whimsy brought about by alcohol.

It was a nice change of pace, and didn't go past unnoticed by any of them.

"...it's nice, being able to laugh at this time of year," said Mitsuru after they had taken a breather from Junpei's comedy routine.

"Beats crying, hands down," affirmed Yukari as she nursed her beer. "I think he would've been happy, knowing we can get together like this after so long."

"He would not have wanted us to mourn as long as we did," said Aigis softly. "Though it was hard for me to let go, even knowing that."

A somber moment of silence and nostalgia enshrouded the ramen joint. Mitsuru finished her sake quickly, unsteadily placing the cup on the counter. "He... he was the first boy that I really went out with. We went here on our first date, actually- I was so impressed with the food, I asked the cook what bullion he used. Heh, seems just a little silly in hindsight, doesn't it?"

"Mm, I guess you were a little standoffish back in high-school, Mitsuru," said Yukari. "To be honest, I was a little scared of you at first. That was before SEES really started and everything happened, of course- Fuuka-chan? Something wrong?"

Fuuka rubbed her temples. "No, no. Sorry, I thought I felt something odd."

"Huh?" Yukari looked shocked. "But- hasn't it been years since you were able to summon Juno?"

"It- it has. No, I'm sure it's no...thing..."

They all turned, just in time to see the side profile of a young man in his teens, dark blue hair swept to a side, melancholic eyes not seeing the world as he walked by the store's window, earphones blanketing him in a haze of sound.

He disappeared as the rain began to pour.

"What... what just happened?" asked Junpei. "Did all of you see that?"

"But... that's impossible!" protested Akihiko. "That... Mitsuru!"

The rain lashed angrily against the restaurant's ceiling as they all pulled her back out of the weather. She cried his name out into an empty, abandoned street, echoes of loss dashed apart in the howling rains.

* * *

"They didn't notice me, of course. Man, Kirijo-san looked as if she saw a ghost."

"She did, in a way. Did he take any overt actions?"

"No, I don't think he was ordered to. It's still two weeks until the first full moon- and with that 'Aigis' around, I don't think they will risk losing their key component."

"You have any idea why he might've showed up, then?"

"I don't know. An act of hubris? Trying to scare them? Doesn't sound right either way, does it? And he disappeared so quickly too."

"We'll have our agents keep an eye on them for now. A pity that she didn't take our call, though- it'll be up to you to establish contact then."

"Under the cover of 'negotiations,' bro?"

"Up to your discretion, of course."

"Heh, almost sounds as if you trust me."

"Do you think I'm foolish enough to trust you, of all people?'"

"Only if you trust your own reflection, I guess."

"And therein, presumably, lies the key. Dear brother, I just ask that you don't embarrass me."

"I haven't betrayed the Juno name... yet. Have a good lunch."

"Have a good evening."


	2. Chapter 2

TWO – EPISODE CONTACT

Heavy mist, dim lights of burning incense sticks casting an eerie glow against the tombstones. Two silhouettes sprawled against the concrete benches of the cemetery, others solemnly around the grave.

The air was still and noiseless, but that never lasts.

"Hey, look," said Akihiko as they struggled to keep up with Mitsuru and Aigis. "We were pretty drunk last night- I'm sure it was a mistake. Mitsuru? Hey, c'mon now-"

"We miss him as much as you do, sempai, but-" started Yukari.

"But nothing. I need to make sure," snapped Mitsuru as she stopped in front of his grave. "Aigis!"

"Yes, commencing terahertz scanning... complete. Mitsuru-san... there are no abnormalities."

Mitsuru closed her eyes and breathed out. "Thank you, Aigis. Alright, I'm satisfied- it was a trick, not a ghost."

"A trick?" asked Akihiko. "Mitsuru, what are you talking about?"

"Guys, did you really forget that Aigis isn't flesh and blood? She replayed last night's events for me. It wasn't the alcohol that did it- somebody or some_thing_ that looks just like Minato passed us last night."

"B-but that's impossible!" protested Junpei. "We were all there at the funeral! We saw his body!"

"And Aigis confirms it."

"Oh, er, was that what that terawhatsit was about?"

"...yes, Iori-san. That was what the terahertz scanning was about." Mitsuru brushed a stray lock of hair aside. "I'm sorry for dragging you all out here with me. Let's get out of the weather."

"Aren't you curious as to what the trick is?" said a new voice through the mist. "And tell your robot not to start something she can't finish."

Mitsuru placed a hand on Aigis's arm, raised and pointed at the shadows of the nearby trees. "Aigis, not yet. The taser might not be enough anyhow. Who is it?"

"I tried getting in contact over the phone with you yesterday, Kirijo-san, but your secretary rebuffed me." complained the voice. He stepped out- a mess of unruly hair over a dark, featureless coat. Hard eyes flickered across the faces of the former SEES members. "It wasn't about our negotiations- or, rather, it was in the interest of being able to continue our negotiations while you are still head of the Kirijo Group." He dropped his cigarette, smothering it under a heel.

"...Tetsuya Juno. The younger brother to the Juno group's president," said Aigis. "He was the one that called two nights ago."

"You know, you're still pointing that taser finger at me," he said, raising an eyebrow at Aigis. "Is this really any way to treat a potential business asset?"

"It is if I deem him a threat," said Aigis coldly.

"Wait, stop. Mitsuru, who is this creep?" asked Akihiko.

"Like he said- a business partner," said Mitsuru angrily. "What the hell is this about?"

Tetsuya wordlessly pulled out a large phone. Though grainy, the picture was unmistakably that of Minato. "See, that's also what I'd like to know."

* * *

It is some strange, unwritten obligation that all cults meet in dark secrecy. To be fair, as its leader, he fully knew why. It was the excitement it generated- and atmosphere in which even mundane words could be laden with terrible importance and urgency. Appearance was everything, especially for the weak-minded.

And this time, he'd get it right.

"Master, we are all congregated," whispered his aide.

"Thank you, my dear," he breathed, weakened lungs struggling out each syllable. The creak of an ancient wheelchair stirred through the silence. "Inform the Messiah... more have come to bring tribute..."

Juno Incorporated was headquartered in the middle of nowheresville. It occupied a small town along Alaska's coast, and if it weren't for the economic gravity it wielded, the area would've been a ghost town long ago. It had offices throughout the industrialized world, in L.A., in New York, and even a glitzy, steel bars and mother of pearl windows front all the way in Dubai; its refusal to relocate its HQ to, say, warmer and more industrious climes confuses all external observers.

Alex Juno knows why. It was something his parents told him, and a bit of a joke between himself and his twin. There are hundreds of ways to end the world, he had been told, and thousands of ways to prevent it. This was one of them.

"One of what?" his twin would ask, a jackal's grin leering out through the cigarette smoke of the local bar. "Damnation or salvation?"

"Depends on which end of the gun you're on," Alex would reply.

And the Borealis shimmered above.

His cell rang.

"Alex Juno speaking," he said, voice graveled with the ravages of liquor.

"Bro, status update: they gave me access to the Aigis memory banks. I'm not convinced."

"Well, that was expected. Hey, you still with them?"

"Yep. Kirijo-san, my brother wishes to speak to you- I'll turn on the speaker, as I think you'll all be interested in listening in on this."

The shuffling of a phone being handed over. "Ah, Kirijo-san. Good evening- my apologies for keeping you and your friends up so late."

"Mr. Juno, what is this about?" she asked.

"A small case of necromancy, seemingly- and I don't mean your old friend. I am aware, idly, of his significance- biological memory is unreliable, but good old silicon stores data for a long time indeed. You can be sure that the Juno Group respects his role in our continued existence too much to be the perpetrators of his doppleganger."

"Uh-huh. Thank you. Now, can you please get to your point?"

"Ah, the point. The point is thus: I wished to establish a business relationship with your group, not only out of admiration for the successes you've had in the Japanese market, but because a threat that concerns us both has, almost literally, crawled out of the grave. Our grandfathers were allies, Miss Kirijo- distant cousins, apparently, and much to my family's misfortunes, they... _agreed_... on a number of key issues. Are you beginning to understand?"

"...continue."

"The Juno Group has had a number of... domestic disputes, since ten years ago. It turns out that a lot of our more... traditional members were allies of my grandfather. They have been quite upset since your late friend's sealing of the Maternal Being, though it wasn't until they made their move that I was aware of the extent of their treachery. Miss Kirijo, they wish for a return of the Dark Hour, and I am disheartened to admit that I think they might be able to pull it off."

* * *

Silence. Mitsuru narrowed her eyes in anger, in confusion. "That's impossible. The Dark Hour exists only because of Nyx. With Nyx defeated-"

"Nyx was _sealed_, Miss Kirijo. Let me reemphasize- Nyx was locked away, not destroyed. Though the essence of Death remains in the world, there is no mind to guide it... for now. They, of course, believe they can rectify this situation."

"How."

"Why, simple: unlock Nyx. Let us not forget that it was the Kirijo Group's own research that determined that the interplay between the spirit and the body- Cartesian dualism- was not as discrete as originally supposed. They've made a soul trap for Mr. Arisato, and they fully intend to use it."

"That's why my brother asked me to get a hold of all of you," interjected Tetsuya. "You all were closest to him- and you all know how best to fight shadows." He shrugged. "I was an Apathy Syndrome victim- I don't very much feel like returning to a state of mindlessness. So it's either you agree to fight again, or I end up nuking Japan."

"W-wait- NUKE us?!" exclaimed Junpei. The rest of the room was in shock.

"...Tetsuya, what the hell are you doing?" asked Alex, suddenly extremely sober.

"Explaining the reality of the situation, bro. The leylines focus right over Gekkoukan High- a nice, big shock will disrupt their plans for at least four, five _centuries_. A thousand ways to prevent the end of the world, eh?" A jackal's grin.

"Miss Kirijo, my brother's being... being moronic. It was never my intention to use that level of firepower to deal with this situation," said Alex hastily. "And definitely not to cause an international incident. Tetsuya, what the hell?!"

"I don't trust them."

"You've got some nerve, pal!" snarled Ken. "What the hell is all this about?"

Tetsuya's stony glare focused on Mitsuru. "It's about doing whatever the hell's necessary to stay ahead of their damned cult. We're _months_ behind their activities, Alex, and the first full moon's in two weeks. If they lost their strength, then the only trump card we have is the Fool, and that's not good enough for this game."

"Tetsuya, don't you dare-"

"Dare what? Do something rash? Like this?"

A pistol materialized in his hand, pointed at Mitsuru. He grinned as Aigis locked her hand up in front of him, and with a flourish, redirected the gun to his own head. The jackal's grin grew to a cackling laughter as five triggers beat him to it.

* * *

"Oh, you utter bastard," muttered Alex. "Tetsuya! Tetsuya, you hear me?! If you're still alive, I'm going to fucking kill you!"

"Hey, if I'm a bastard, that makes you one too," gasped Tetsuya as he picked the phone quickly, in between bouts of utter chaos. "Hey, talk later, the gym teacher's tossing a fireball at- AUGH! MY FAVORITE COAT!"

The phone died. Alex rubbed his temples irritably. "Bartender, another whiskey. Please. As much as you can legally give me."

* * *

He was still laughing when the dust settled, if a bit strained due to taking a direct attack to the chest. The others weren't nearly as amused.

"Oh, the power!" cackled Tetsuya as he laid sprawled across the floor. "The ridiculous power! Ten years since Nyx, and still you possess the gift! I am pleased; my brother will be pleased, as soon as he gets over his hangover tomorrow. Kirijo-san, as I have been given significant diplomatic abilities as the Juno Group's representative, I _will_ consent to whatever plans you might have for the upcoming ordeal."

"And what..." breathed Mitsuru angrily. "Makes you think... we'll work with you after this?"

Tetsuya sat upright, suddenly serious. "Because you'll need my help to get rid of that."

The moon glared a sickly green, a smile of menace and portent upon its prey. And rising from the skyline was a familiar, and dreadful, sight.

"Good thing you all kept your Evokers, eh?"

AN: _shitshitshit, too many goddamn monologues, and all from the original characters. Ep 3 will be better, I promise_.


	3. Chapter 3

THREE – EPISODE SHADOW PUPPETS

"So run that by me again," said Mitsuru tersely, as Tetsuya drove them away from the hotel and into the night.

"Um, you know what Juno _is_, right? Especially you, Yamagishi-sensei."

"Um... the patron goddess of Rome," replied Fuuka nervously. "'She who warns.'"

Tetsuya nodded. "A powerful, protective deity- much like your role ten years ago, according to our records. Our company has a saying- there's a hundred ways to end the world, and a thousand ways to preserve it. We've tried mostly to be on the latter side of that equation- but the difference between damnation and salvation has always been a matter of subjectivity. Mostly, we fight against the Nanjo Group's machinations."

Mitsuru nodded. "I remember something about that. The first time I heard about the Juno Group was during a conflict about thirty years ago- the Kirijo family officially declared independence during the fallout."

Tetsuya laughed. "We put Gorbachev in power. The idiots in Nanjo never expected _that_. Decades of Soviet research into the arcane, wiped out in one ludicrously simple political ploy. My brother and I have been doing our best to outdo our parents since then, and mostly ending up short. Either way, our entire mission's pretty much been to prevent humanity from blowing itself up- either through conventional means or through the esoteric. My apologies about the nuke comment earlier- naturally, it is not in my actual agenda."

"But that doesn't explain the current situation," pressed Mitsuru. "Why the split? Why the current mess?"

Tetsuya shifted uncomfortably. "Crap, out of cigarettes. Look, I said it once already: the difference between damnation and salvation is a matter of subjectivity. There is no true good and evil in the world, merely a matter of opinion of rights and wrong. The Janus Group- our defectors- have a point: humanity can be downright stupid sometimes. Self-destructive. Just take a look at how Middle Eastern politics have played out- even World War One wasn't as big a mess."

"Wha- that's bullshit!" protested Junpei. "They're willing to kill off the entire world just because they have a big enough ego to think they know better than anybody else?!"

"You're a physical education teacher, yeah?"

"Er, yeah. So?"

Tetsuya nodded. "Teachers tend to understand their fallacy better- well, teachers that haven't been jaded by the system yet. Killing every idiot in the world depends on how you define idiocy- and if you can't spot your own mental shortcomings, all you've really done is emphasize one brand of idiocy over another. Besides, individuals and nations eventually grow up- America doesn't hold slaves anymore, Japan intellectually understands that Koreans aren't subhuman, and even the Middle East is getting tired of constant bloodshed. It doesn't make sense to kill a child because it doesn't act like how you'd expect an adult to act."

Fuuka's brow furrowed. "...why did they name themselves after the God of Doorways?"

"Janus guards both the past and future," replied Tetsuya as the car screeched to a halt in front of Gekkoukan High. "It is, like all things in life, metaphorical. Shadow puppets on the wall."

* * *

"My children..." breathed the wheelchair-bound man. "I... welcome you. Tonight is a night of miracles. Tonight... believe."

His face was hidden by the great glare of light behind him, shining forth like a halo. It wasn't until one squinted hard enough that, to one's shock, it was apparent that the source of light appeared to be another person.

"The Messiah hath come... once a traitor, now a willing servant to the Great Mother. In Death, he had realized his folly. And in his resurrection, he brings the wisdom of the dead."

The light dimmed. His eyes slowly opened, gray as storms, but a smile as gentle as a lover's whisper. A faint trickle of light and dust reached out from his hand and onto the speaker. The speaker stood, his voice infinitely stronger, infinitely more assured.

"You can see before you! All around you! Though suspended by the forces of the cowardly, of the ignorant, the Great Mother's embrace surrounds us yet again!" roared the speaker, his long, beraggled hair flying in wake of his sudden and angry gestures. "Nyx is inevitable! Nyx is absolute! Ten years ago, on the verge of death, she granted me my role to you now- as the messenger, as the shepherd to her flock. She granted me power over her enemies, and granted me the message of hope that I preach!

"In two week's time, when the Mother's face looms down upon Her children, where shall you stand? By the craven lot who call themselves Humankind? By those that dare debase the ideals, the glorious vision we have worked on for so long? Or shall you be reborn, by Mother's side?"

The echoes of "Nyx" poured from the walls, from the vaulted ceiling. He had the crowd, had control. Now for stage two...

"That's mighty fine rhetoric, you bastard, but anybody that actually had a couple of brain cells to rub together can tear through it like a plasma blade through butter."

...as planned.

* * *

He literally kicked the door open. Literally. Kicked the door. Open. Like some bad b-movie action star, all saunter and no brains.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" hissed Akihiko as the SEES members flanked him, Evokers at the ready.

"Playing the crowd," said Tetsuya confidently. "Listen, you schmucks. For those of you that know me, you know my brother doesn't approve of this mess. You know what happened to _me_ ten years ago. You want a better world? You want power to change things for the better? The Juno Group's been doing just that since our founding. We're willing to give amnesty, and only 10 docked pay for one fiscal quarter, if you come back. Takaya, you tried this ten years ago, and you failed. Dismiss your zombie, and we'll even forgive _you_ for your mental handicap."

Takaya sneered down at him, and motioned at Minato. "Offering money? Political amnesty? How the mighty hath fallen, Juno. Your organization has become nothing more than a farce- from paramount of the golden ideal, to nothing more than yet another common stain. You have wallowed with swine, eaten refuse with demons, and now you shall reap the whirlwind."

"I feel no wind," said Tetsuya nonchalantly. "Besides, Arisato-san's true body still lies in his grave. What you've got there's nothing more than a doppleganger- hardly the true thing at all."

"Oh? The Messiah isn't bound by a mundane body- and his powers are no parlor trick. Arisato-sama, please remove these blasphemers."

"Minato!" yelled Mitsuru. "Minato, is that you? Snap out of this! We're your friends- don't you remember us?"

"Kirijo-san, stand back," said Tetsuya, a fixed and tight grin on his face. "He's not the real deal. Just look at his eyes."

Stormy gray, and shifting. The smile metamorphosized into a leer as the still air of the assembly stirred and grew.

"Reaping the whirlwind, eh?" snickered Tetsuya. "Alright, then. Let's catch the updraft. PHOENIX!"

* * *

He remembered little.

There was a light. A sudden rush of liquid. That first, painful breath upon the sterile floor of the laboratory. The painful tearing of wires and conductors from his bald head. The eerie whispers of those around him. He understood little- he was a corpse with a heartbeat, the product of science and genetics, but empty. A carbon copy, literally printed out cell layer by cell layer, until something that looked like somebody long dead took form and substance.

The first three weeks were in spiritual silence as they pulled him, listlessly, through a barrage of tests and trials. It wasn't until he was given a picture- a group of students and a man with an eyepatch- that the first synaptic spark occurred.

He didn't know why he was crying. He just was. Something alien in him had stirred, and suddenly the world was upside down.

"Armageddon," whispered gentle lips. And the world shook with his might.

"Tetsuya's down- Yukari, take care of him. Ken!" yelled Mitsuru.

"I've got it! Minato, if you don't wake up, I'll fry you ali- ARGH!" Shards of ice slammed into Ken, pinning him against the wall.

"Awake? He's never been more awake!" cackled Takaya. "This is truth! This is the face of despair! You have merely forestalled judgment for ten years- now you shall know the truth. This world is to end, and you with it!"

"SHUT UP!" spat Junpei. "Shut the hell up, Takaya! You arrogant asshole, you'll pay for what you did to him!"

* * *

The next spark was of a wholly different nature. A spasm of anger, uncontrollable, when they handed him a picture.

A looming red eye, baleful over the black-green sky. Superimposed were seven hauntingly familiar faces.

He never did ask himself- was "he" angry at what the picture represented, or with more subtlety: at what the pictures _meant_.

He only truly knew what they told him he knew.

* * *

"Fall back!" yelled Akihiko through the deafening winds. "Fall back, he's way too powerful to take on right now!"

"Yeah?" yelled back Tetsuya. "The way I figure it, he'll only be more powerful come the full moon. It won't be like last time, where you had a full year to prep!"

"Look, I'm not sure if we could kill him even if that wasn't the case!"

Tetsuya narrowed his eyes at Akihiko. "I _know_ you guys are smart enough to know better than to think he's actually Minato-"

"I'm talking about how strong he is, you arrogant twerp! Aigis is already down, Mitsuru and Yukari can't take much more, and neither can I! Argh!"

The assembly were cowering in the corner, away from the wreckage, away from the devastation that were being inflicted upon the intruders. Takaya smiled, content. If anything, these upstarts would only solidify his movement, give them a cause to rally behind- and an enemy to collectively fear.

"Fine!" spat Tetsuya. "Fine. No choice. Takaya, you sonovabitch, I _will_ have your head! We both seem to have underestimated each other."

"Don't compare me at your level," sneered Takaya.

"Oh? I'm not the one suddenly clutching for his wheelchair," said Tetsuya, suddenly grinning again. "I guess even miracles have an expiration date." He flourished his Evoker. "You! Minato, or whatever you really are. This was a rescue mission on _your_ behalf. I don't know what brainwashing they did on you, but there should be enough of a brain in that skull of yours to think through the implications of _that!_"

Click- _bam_. A circle of fire roared out around SEES, and encapsulated them in a fiery, throbbing maelstrom of incandescent light.

Nothing was left but ashes.

"...an interesting man," said Takaya as he unsteadily sat back down. "But no matter. He is no... threat."

"He- he actually tracked us down," quavered one of the congregates- a middle-aged woman, shaking in fear of what she had seen. Takaya frowned at her reaction.

"So?" he snapped. "He is but one man- and when you lot came over, you brought along the grand majority of the Juno's wealth, yes?"

"He wasn't supposed to find us until it was too late! The Juno family- they're- they-"

"Are of no consequence," said Takaya waspishly. "The Dark Hour's been revived- the Twelve will congregate in two weeks, and the world will be reborn. Do you doubt, woman? Do you fear? Only those that believe will be saved."

"F-forgive me... no! No! Forgive me!"

Tartarus- a nest of shadows, as once described. Minato wheeled Takaya out of the great tower as the hour trickled away. The congregation followed, stunned to silence but resolute in their solidarity.

Behind them, viscous darkness oozed over a corpse.


	4. Chapter 4

FOUR – EPISODE COUNTERWEIGHT

"Sir, I'm uncomfortable with the recent turn of..." started a young man. He was silenced by his superior- a bald, badly aged man easily in his seventies. The office they reside in was nondescript, fluorescent lights and beige walls- urban camouflage. They quickly made their way into a rarely used office- one that was already occupied by a number of other, equally nervous individuals.

"Checked for bugs?" said the elder man through clenched teeth.

"Yes, Toshioya-sama. We should be in the clear- the Kirijos aren't listening in."

"Good. Now, how the _hell_ did they catch up?"

"Sir," interjected the aide. "I still don't understand- why are we in a panic so soon? Tetsuya Juno's one man, the former SEES members combined couldn't stand up to the Messiah-"

"Goddamn newbies," growled a burly man across the conference table. "Don't understand a thing at all. We spent the last five years making damn sure that when we did split, it would be far too late for the Junos to interfere. And we did it for a reason! In less than a _day_, he's gotten the alliance of the Kirijo Group. He forced Takaya to show _weakness_ to the cult's initiates! He's an unknown factor, an unpredictable trickster, and I've worked under his family for far too long to make the same mistake as all of their prior victims!"

"Are you so much in fear of this one man?" purred a new voice from the shadows. A cheshire's cat's leering grin gleamed out of the shadows.

"Since when were you here?" demanded Toshioya.

"I... _am_ of the shadows," said Takaya. "Are you saying you aren't pleased to see me?"

"N-no, no, my apologies, Shepherd. But we are concerned about the latest developments. Our deal was that the Juno family would not-"

"Ah-ah," interrupted Takaya. "Our deal, Toshioya... was to bring about the demise of humankind. Or, in your own words, our 'ascension'. That will still occur... regardless of whom may stand before us. The ten years of... unnatural peace... has only bolstered Nyx's resolve and power. Nothing human... nothing human at all... can prevent Her coming. Two weeks, gentleman... until the end of the world..."

Like an illusion of sunlight, dust and darkness, his presence dissipated, leaving only the mocking trace of laughter.

* * *

"Yes? Yes? Okay, you done yelling? How's your hangover? ...are you done yelling _now_? Great, thanks." Tetsuya sighed and tossed the burnt remnants of his coat into the trash. He popped the hotel room's minifridge open and grabbed a beer. "Look, we're still alive. That trick's never failed me before, has it? ...ruined what remained of my coat, though. Anyhow, overall, I'd say even the aborted ambush was beneficial for our cause."

"Beneficial?!" yelled Alex over the phone. "How the hell does getting your ass kicked all over Tartarus count as 'beneficial'?!"

"Well, for one, we now have a fair estimate of the modifications they've done on Arisato's clone."

"...oooh, I see where you're going with this. That _is_ something."

"We also see the _limits_ of their modifications. Takaya might've been able to weather the ravages of those drugs a hell of a lot longer than anybody else, but even with healing magics..."

"Yeah, I got the footages. Fits his pattern and obsession with death. Going out with a bang seems like his M.O. Now, what about the other project...?"

Tetsuya shook his head. "Nah, I've been trying all the avenues I can think of since you booted me into Japan, bro. According to our records, the Velvet Room itself chooses who can enter- if Igor doesn't deem me worthy, there isn't anything I can do."

"That is entirely too inconvenient. But I won't fret too much. He plays the game at a much higher level than even ourselves- against an opposition we've only gotten hints about the last few centuries."

"Right, odds are he already picked out his pawn for this round."

* * *

Thud. Thud-thud. Heavy slams, reverberating across the empty gym. Fists and arms toned with decades of hard labor and careful conditioning. Akihiko Sanada- once a fighter, always a fighter.

"You have been doing quite well for yourself," said Mitsuru as she handed him a bottle of water. "I was impressed by your last match."

"You were watching?" asked Akihiko. "Thanks, I appreciate it. Got a black eye in that one, though."

"Yes, well, I saw what happened to the other guy."

"Heh. Hey, do you really trust this guy?"

Mitsuru shook her head. "Not at all. But he is the best-informed of us. For now."

Akihiko nodded. "Reasonable. So, what do you think we need to do?"

Mitsuru pondered. "The key is Arisato-san. Tetsuya mentioned them using a 'soul cage' to emulate his abilities... but didn't it seem odd?"

"You mean about how powerful he was?" Akihiko nodded. "I almost hate to admit it, but he _was_ the most competent fighter amongst us all. But not by that much. We couldn't even lay a blow on him last night."

"This 'soul cage...' when the Kirijos worked on the anti-shadow humanoid weapons project, emulating a human mind was by far the most difficult aspect of the project. The slightest change..."

"Eh, I wouldn't know about that," said Akihiko. "...hey, you alright?"

Mitsuru stifled a yawn. "Didn't sleep well. Odd dreams. The group's meeting at the shrine in an hour to discuss our plans."

"I'll be there."

Thunder wracked the gym.

* * *

"Ken-chan!"

"Woof!"

"Yumi-chan, Koro-chan!" exclaimed Ken as he parked his scooter. "Hey, boy. Here, a treat from Aigis-san."

"Aw, the dog gets a treat and not me?" pouted Yumi, dressed in a short skirt and hooded sweater. Her ponytail bounced as she leaned in on Ken.

"No, of course not, come here."

"Mmm... better," she breathed as they broke the kiss. "How's your guardian doing?"

"Oh, Sanada-san's the same as always," replied Ken as he locked the scooter. "Actually, I'm meeting up with him in a few minutes- just wanted to drop by and tell you I might be busy for a while."

"What, again?" protested Yumi. "But last year you said it was only a two, three day event."

"Ahh... issues turned up," said Ken shiftily. "It... um, you remember what I told you about Arisato-san? Um... did I mention it was foul play, in a way?"

"...this isn't going to involve the police, is it?"

Ken shook his head.

"The government?"

Shook harder.

"The _Kirijo_ Group?!"

Ken nodded vigorously.

Yumi rolled her eyes. "Alright, alright. Hold back the details if you must. Just... Ken?" She kissed him lightly. "Come back as soon as you can, alright?"

"Nothing in the _world_ can stop me."

* * *

"Dude, you look half-dead," noted Yukari as she tossed Junpei a can of coffee.

"Oh, thanks Yuka-tan,"mumbled Junpei as he popped it open. "Sorry, didn't sleep well last night. Kinda glad it's spring break- no students to deal with right now."

"Mm? Thought you liked your job." Yukari smoothed down her skirt and sat next to him.

"Oh, well, yeah. Being a gym teacher's actually a pretty good gig, compared to my last few jobs," said Junpei. "Heh, sounds weird coming from me, eh? I even skipped gym in high school."

"Eh, you stopped doing so after... er..."

"Chidori? Yeah, you're right." Junpei slugged back the rest of the drink. "Then we lost both Ryoji _and_ Minato, and I spent another few years moping around. Man, Chidori spent a year or two yelling at me in my dreams"

"Sh-she- your dreams?"

Junpei smiled wistfully. "Yeah, sounds a bit crazy, I know."

"...that's incredibly romantic, actually."

"Heh, I guess so. So what've you been up to?"

Yukari shrugged. "Just the usual office work. Working on a novel on and off, but..."

"Oh? A novel?" Junpei blinked in surprise. "Didn't know you were the literary sort, Yuka-tan."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean? Oh, everybody's here."

"Hey Junpei-kun. Hey Yukari," said Fuuka. "Sorry I'm late- had to do some paperwork at the college. Where's everybody else?"

"Akihiko, Aigis and Mitsuru are making an offering at the shrine," said Yukari. "Ken's giving Koromaru a walk. We're... leaving Juno-san out of this meeting."

"Oh? Why?"

It was Yukari's turn to blink in surprise. "Why? B-but he's untrustworthy!"

Fuuka shook her head. "He got us out alive."

"He _attacked_ us!"

"I'm not sure about that..." Fuuka looked up thoughtfully. "Nobody actually sustained any injuries outside of minor abrasions, right?"

"W-well, I guess not. I didn't do much healing until after..."

"I did invite Juno-san for the meeting," said Mitsuru as she walked up. "However, he won't be showing up for another hour. He knows why."

"Good afternoon, Mitsuru-san."

"Good afternoon, Fuuka. Yukari, I understand your hesitation to trust him- I share it. The remnants of the Juno Group is currently lead not by one but two mavericks, and we've only gotten a glimpse of Tetsuya's agenda. What his brother is planning, I've yet to figure out."

"Ken," said Akihiko. "Get over here, we're starting. Anyhow, the way Mitsuru and I figured it, there's only two real ways to handle this: Nyx or Minato. But, really, there's only one way. We can do what we did last time, and beat the Appriser, but that wasn't all there was to it."

"We do not have anybody with Minato's ability," confirmed Aigis. "Nobody is even sure what Minato did... only that he paid a heavy price for it."

"Right. So the only choice is to kill _him_."

Uncomfortable silence. Junpei coughed.

"Um... I'm not sure how to put this, but..."

Mitsuru shook her head. "I know, Iori-san. We've fought shadows, but we've never actually killed anybody. Even with Strega... Jin took his own life. Actually, even if we did have a chance at stopping Nyx again, Tartarus is going to be guarded by a whole lot more than Shadows this time. I'm afraid we're in a bit of a fix."

"Well, hell, there's got to be something we can do!" protested Junpei. "We saved the world once, didn't we? There's got to be another way!"

Mitsuru nodded. "I'm sure there is. Which is why I'm forced to ask all of you if you're willing to follow Juno-san's orders."

"...I think I lost you on that sharp right turn."

"It's simple, Iori. We've run out of options. I can't mobilize the Kirijo Group's resources- less than a percent of our... defensive capabilities are attuned to the Dark Hour, while our enemy has at least those available that we saw during the skirmish."

"Okay... but what does that have to do with Tetsuya?"

"He... outlined a plan of attack to me after last night. It..." Mitsuru looked uncomfortable. "It steps on a few ethical issues, certainly. The plan is to..."

* * *

Tetsuya pushed his shades up closer to his face. It was a sunny day, but the air still crackled with the chill of a prior rain. His phone rang.

"Yo, bro. On my way to the SEES meeting."

"You sure they'll agree to it?"

"All other avenues are closed, aren't they? The ambush failed- the only thing left to do is this."

"Still, they are _very_ fond of him. This may be stepping over a line."

"No such thing as lines. Only shades of gray. _You_ taught me that, Alex."

"Heh, alright, point made. Talk to you soon."

Tetsuya pocketed his cellphone, and slipped off the shades. He gave the SEES member a bemused grin, and was greeted by a mix of anger and reluctance.

"This is your idea?" asked Ken angrily.

Tetsuya shook his head. "My brother's. But I chose to be the one to relay it to you. We have the equipment ready, as well as the sample. This is the surest way we have to counter their ambitions."

"And if it works?" asked Aigis. "What happens afterwards?"

"Then Minato Arisato dies for the world he loved. Again."


	5. Chapter 5

FIVE – EPISODE VEIL

The airport terminal was a bustle of activity. Vacationing couples and students. Businessmen in sharp suits fussing their way towards destinations unknown. Tetsuya sat arms sprawled behind his seat, foot tapping in time with his music player, eyes hidden behind his shades. Mitsuru sat across from him- behind her was the arrivals exit. The clock ticked down.

"My apologies for making you wait with me, Kirijo-san," said Tetsuya suddenly. "My brother insists that he along with the package be escorted. Our own security forces have been more than halved since the formation of the Janus Group."

"I understand," said Mitsuru, not looking up from her book. "Because of the necessity of the situation, the Kirijo Group is more than willing to provide assistance."

"Glad to hear. However, actually, there's a reason why I asked you specifically to accompany me."

Mitsuru paused, then raised an elegant eyebrow as she looked over her book. "Yes?"

"What did you dream about?"

"...excuse me?"

Tetsuya sat up, and stared intently at her. "Last night. What did you dream about?"

"...exactly what relevance does this discussion have?" asked Mitsuru, glaring at him.

"Oh, the usual end of the world and trying to prevent it sort of relevance," said Tetsuya, shrugging. "Okay, more specifically, does the name 'Igor' mean anything to you?" A pause, then a grin. "Your look of surprise tells me all I need to know. We'll continue this discussion later- my brother's here."

Not just his brother- a small army of identically suited men, each with oddly misshapen luggage in hand.

"...this is 'halved?'" asked Mitsuru.

"Yes, imagine what we're up against."

* * *

There were some day when, after they gave him his breakfast, everything became hazy. He remembered some vague details- lying flat on a table, his face supported by a circular cushion. Figures clad in white apron and masks standing over him. A deep ache at the back of his head.

Crimson.

Then he wakes up some time later, sometimes it felt like weeks, and they tell him he must fight. There would be another person in the room, gagged and bound. Two pistols would lie on a table between them. He would be left alone with them- they would suddenly break free, shoot themselves in the head... a monster would come out... but never linger for long.

Each time, he got better. And faster.

He remembered a man, well-dressed, but with eyes red and sharp, almost feral, congratulating him each time.

The very last time was an enemy he couldn't beat. A frail man in a wheelchair, a knowing leer, and a shock of deja vu sharp enough to give Takaya all the edge he needed. He never hesitated. He never even noticed that there was only one gun.

He had a master.

* * *

"...odd, I expected more of an escort," said Alex. "Kirijo-san, you _did_ inform your group...?"

"My company has very strict standards, Juno-san. You're not meant to see them."

Tetsuya laughed as the limousine made its way to the city. "Looks like we have to rework our own security teams, bro. Old CIA operative consultants are apparently no longer sufficient."

"...accountancy's going to hate me, you realize," muttered Alex.

"Eh, you'll find a way, Alex. Either that, or you can seduce the VP in charge. Again."

"Hey, shut up, Tetsuya. She came onto _me!_ God, that was an awkward Christmas party- stop snickering, I didn't do anything to her after!"

"Ha, look, even Kirijo-san's smirking."

Alex buried his face into his palms. "Oh, God, you do this every time I have a business meeting with the opposite gender, Tetsuya. Why haven't I fired you yet?"

"Because they always end up signing the contract anyhow, bro. Sorry, Kirijo-san- teasing my elder brother's a past time of mine"

"I see," said Mitsuru, keeping a straight face. "I must ask, though... why the naming disparity?"

Alex sighed. "You mean our names? Nothing complex. Mother was American, Father was a Japanese expatriate. Mother got first pick on names, and since I was born five minutes ahead of Tetsuya..."

Tetsuya made a face. "He got off lucky. Odd names and public schools don't mix."

"Tetsuya's hardly an odd... oh."

Tetsuya shrugged. "No big deal. Why are we even discussing this? I wasn't bullied _that_ badly."

"Yeah you were, though not only because of the name," said Alex as he adjusted his glasses. The frames were thick, and a careful examination would suggest flickering lines of text and small videos playing over the lens. "But you get uncomfortable whenever I bring it up."

"...that's your idea of revenge, eh? You're mean, bro."

"Heh."

"If I may interrupt," said Mitsuru. "We do have a small problem. While it is only a minor logistics problem for me to relocate back to town, the others have long since stopped living in the region."

"Not a problem at all," said Alex dismissively. "The process only takes about half a day. With luck, they'll be on the train home tomorrow, as planned."

"...wait, you want to make another foray tonight?" asked Tetsuya. "...Alex, they'll be expecting us."

"Who said we're making a foray?" asked Alex, raising an eyebrow. "I'm not asking you to charge headlong into a den of wolves again. Heck, I didn't ask you to the first time around. It's going to be a lot more surgical than that."

Mitsuru sighed. "I barely know you two, and I already see where this is going. Alright, impress me, Mr. Juno- what's going to happen."

Alex pointedly ignored Tetsuya's sniggers. "Alright, this is how it's going to play out. The bioprinters are set to flashclone the late Mr. Arisato. Our house alchemists and mages will finalize the process, creating a much more accurate spiritual template in which to trap his essence, as well as adjust any minor physical errors made during the cloning process. That's actually going to take up most of the time, as conventional science hasn't quite caught up with the human neurological network's complexity. When that's complete? One of our specialists will take over the now-empty container on their side, and assassinate Takaya. We then seal our own copy of Minato away- also a lengthy process, which we'll need SEES's help, along with whatever operators the Kirijo Group can lend us, and shut down the Dark Hour this very night."

"Ah, I see. Unfortunately, that means killing him," said Tetsuya. "In such a way that his soul can no longer be retrieved- not for a few thousand years or the end of days, whichever comes first. You understand, Kirijo-san? I realize that this may not be an... agreeable course of action, given your history with him."

Mitsuru shook her head. "It... it's nothing. Even if we truly reincarnate him, memory intact, he'd still want us to follow through with this. My friends are agreed to this- saving the world must take precedence over our emotional attachments."

"Then we're good to go."

* * *

The warehouse was heavily guarded. Patrols of cars were on carefully designed randomwalks, camouflaged amongst the city's usual traffic patterns. The nearby apartment complexes were staked out. They had even established temporary cots and a small cafeteria.

"...huh, this is better than the school's food," said Junpei as he chewed on his burger. "Man, the rich really have it going on. What's... 'foie gras spread'?"

"Ugh, how can you eat?" asked Yukari as she stared with morbid fascination at the massive infrastructure of machines and pipes that occupied the center, and grand majority, of the warehouse. "I mean... _look_ at that. Is that a spleen?"

"Dude, Yukari, I'm looking away for a reason."

"I find it absolutely fascinating, actually," said Fuuka as she picked through her salad. "I've heard of 3D-printers being used in the medical field before, but not to this extent. The implications of this technology..."

"Try not to think about it too much, Professor, or we'll have to make you sign a waiver," said Tetsuya as he walked up. "Ah, Boris, how's the kids? Ribs, beer and a pack of smokes."

"Don't light up near the equipment," warned the cook. "Kill yourself on your own time."

"Yeah, yeah. Anyhow, Yamagishi-sensei, this is something that isn't going to come out in the market for a few decades, even during this period of accelerated industry. It's not a complexity issue- it's the unconventionalities."

"...oh, yes, I see. That's a prayer wheel, isn't it, next to the ley crystals?"

"Huh, sharp eyes. Yeah. A bit of Taoism, Shintoism, and Western magics involved. And magic is not something we'd usually rely on- too alive and unpredictable. But this is an emergency, so we'll do what we can."

The machine suddenly whined loudly, shooting sparks and blue smoke.

"Of course, it might need a bit of damage control," said Tetsuya tersely as he sprang back up from the bench. "Get that goddamn sprinkler on! DamCon 1, stations! Dammit, hold my ribs!"

* * *

"Heh, how... presumptuous," said Takaya.

"They're moving way too fast, Shepherd," said Toshioya. "What's worse, their assumptions are right. If they succeed-"

"Have I not said that Her coming was... inevitable?" interrupted Takaya. "Even this- yes... especially this- is all part of the plan."

The wheelchair squeaked as he was rolled away. "But... we must maintain our... image. Do what you believe... appropriate."

"Then I shall dispatch our men immediately."

_AN: Ugh, wow. Writing a hell of a lot today. The original plan was to do daily updates, but as you can see... I'm already done with chapter five. Now, if you'll excuse me, my fingers are lifeless, and I need to fix that._


	6. Chapter 6

SIX – EPISODE ISCARIOT

"About what we were talking about," said Tetsuya as he dropped the remnants of his cigarette, crushing the glowing embers under his tennis shoes. Mitsuru had walked out of the building, and into the night air. "What do you recall?"

"...not much," she replied. "The details are hazy. A doorway of blue light, and somebody telling me about the 'history of the arcana.'"

Tetsuya nodded. "Fits our records. Of which there isn't a whole lot. The proprietor of the Velvet Room hasn't dealt with us directly since the first Juno, hundreds of years back."

"...I still don't quite understand. What relevance does my dream have to this current situation?"

"We have reason to believe that Arisato-san was contacted by the same man you met in your sleep," said Tetsuya. He rubbed his eyes. "I spent the last few hours looking over our databases. He has a habit of being personally involved in the lives of those much like Arisato-san. You know, savior-types."

"Why did he choose Minato then?" asked Mitsuru. "Why couldn't he have chosen anybody else to sacrifice?"

Tetsuya shook his head. "Igor doesn't choose anything. All he does is enable the better parts of humanity the power they need to do what is right. Minato chose redemption, and so Igor gave him the power to redeem." He fixed a steady gaze on Mitsuru. "So, of course, you know what I want to ask you."

She glared back at him. "The Kirijos are not the Nanjos, Juno. We stand by the world, not from it. If... if it comes to that, I won't shirk from my duty. Minato certainly didn't."

Tetsuya laughed. "I'm glad to hear it! But, with luck, it won't come to that. My brother rarely fails at his endeavors. When you next see Igor, put in a good word for us Junos, eh?"

Sudden gunfire from the other side of the building. The sharp staccato of automated weaponry.

"Of course, first we have to survive the night."

* * *

"Not a single casualty," said Alex admiringly. "Between Miss Yamagishi, Miss Takeba, and Aigis, we've got the enemy in check, and barely a scratch to show for it."

"Oh great," griped Tetsuya as he cocked a pistol, stashing it into a shoulder harness. "I was hoping we'd put up less of a resistance, actually."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Because I don't want them to get too desperate."

A gout of flame barely missed them. The walls of the warehouse crumbled apart, revealing the green-black skies above.

A figure was afloat, framed by the too-large moon. An angel's smile on his face.

A devil's fury emanating out.

"...yep, time to get to business."

* * *

"This is going to hurt again, isn't it?" griped Junpei as they stared up.

"We should be done soon!" yelled Tetsuya from the roof. "Just keep my men- oh, and the Kirijo agents- alive."

"Yeah, easier said than done, you jerk! Trigmegistus!" A flash of purple haze illuminated the building as defensive wards activated.

"Juno-san," said Fuuka, her disembodied voice echoing in his head. "He noticed you."

"That's the point," said Tetsuya as he waved at the moon-lit figure. "Hey, you! Yeah, you so-called Messiah. Back off, and you won't get hurt!"

A column of blinding flames was Minato's response, smashing straight into Tetsuya.

"Takeba!" yelled Mitsuru. "Heal him! I'll-"

"The only one that's going to need healing is _him_," said a familiar voice.

Tetsuya floated above Minato, fire flickering off his bared shoulders like wings. His hand held a heavy revolver.

Click- _bam_.

* * *

He was reborn into comforting darkness.

His eyes stirred. The lids opened, slowly. Viscous liquid embraced him. Slowly, light trickled in through the turquoise murk. The water drained, tubes retracted. Dull ache as his nerves woke in protest.

His first thought was "I'm alive."

His second thought was "This is wrong."

* * *

"Well, shit."

The bullet was met with another gout of incandescent flame, burning away at the slug of lead until nothing was left but smoke. Though Tetsuya was unharmed, his gun had suffered the same fate.

Minato's impassive face remained unchanged as a great serpent of ice crystals crashed down on Tetsuya, smothering his fire, and sent him to the ground with a loud, meaty thud.

"Tetsuya!" barked Mitsuru as she rushed next to him. "Tetsuya, you idiot! Hold still, I'll-"

"Don't!" he coughed, blood leaking out of the corners of his mouth. "No- no time. My brother- protect-"

An inhuman howl reverberated out of the warehouse- waves of black despair shattered the windows, twisted lamp posts. The sonic scream sent men crashing to their knees.

"...no. Mitsuru-san, help me up."

"You have at least one punctured lung, Tetsuya-"

"GET ME INTO THAT WAREHOUSE!"

* * *

Carnage littered the facility. Bodies, decayed and disfigured as if from a malevolent poison.

"Your friends are holding up admirably, Miss Kirijo," said Alex, facing away from them and towards the apparatus. "Nobody outside has died yet- they even seem to be holding Arisato's clone at bay."

"You idiot," coughed out Tetsuya. "I suspected it, but I couldn't trust myself. I thought you wouldn't-"

"Why, because I'm your brother? Only shades of gray, Tetsuya."

"Why?" demanded Mitsuru as she supported Tetsuya. The din of battle nearly drowned out her question. "What could you possibly gain from resurrecting _him_?"

"The world is falling apart," said Alex. "It's not misanthropism, Tetsuya, please don't misunderstand. It's just that, even if you give humankind credit for all the good it's done, the world is still dying so long as we're on it. I have to hit the reset button- when Nyx is done, the machine will activate, and humankind can try again, this time a little smarter, this time a little more sane. And the world will keep on turning."

"Sane?" said Tetsuya grimly, blood and spittle leaking out between tightly clenched teeth. "Fuck you, Alex. You're worse than Grandfather was."

"I'm sorry, Tetsuya. But I'm trying to save the world here."

"Fuck _that_!" A shot roared out...

...and stopped a millimeter in front of Ryoji's unfocused eyes.

The shadows of the remnants of the warehouse twisted and warped, malevolent tendrils reaching out towards the brightly lit body of Death. Alex Juno sighed.

"It's too late, brother. He stirs."

Metal groaned and screamed as they warped around Alex and Ryoji's prone form. Mitsuru dragged Tetsuya out, protecting him from the sparks and gouts of flame as eldritch energies laid claim to Death's incarnation.

"You're going to burn!" yelled Tetsuya. "You'll burn if it's the last thing I do!"

There was an explosion- white-blue fire- then nothing.

* * *

"...all along, we've been playing into his hand," said Toshioya. "And you knew from the beginning."

Takaya grinned. "You thought him as an irresponsible drunkard all this time, haven't you? But I'm afraid the Juno's hereditary cunning has bred true. Yes, this was all his doing. Every last step of the way."

"You played me for a fool!" exclaimed Setsuya angrily. His face turned a grotesque shade of red as he gave a strangled cry, reaching out for Takaya's frail neck. Foam and spittle leaked out of his mouth as, instead, he collapsed.

"Thank you, Anansi," said Alex as he stepped into the light. The ghostly form of a monstrous spider was already dissipating. "Death continues to be held in suspended animation, Takaya."

"Everything is continuing as expected then," said Takaya. "Good... you're very lucky your brother didn't shoot you instead."

Alex shook his head sadly. "He's my brother. That was never a possibility."

* * *

"My boy, before you say a word, I must apologize. There are things I cannot do, and places I may not go. Your brother was... _very_ careful, and made some astoundingly accurate guesses. Alas, my hands were, until now, tied.

"But do not be afraid! You've not failed! Oh, no, the Game has only just begun. Your brother wasn't the only one making shrewd estimations. I am pleased to say that you have succeeded in changing the playing field as irrevocably as he has.

"You need not as much help from me as you believed, my boy. The strength of your conviction is power enough to outshine suns. Tempered with the chill of iron-hard faith, and who knows what may yet occur?

"Just remember... the contract is binding. You must take full responsibility for your actions.

"You know... the usual."


	7. Chapter 7

SEVEN – EPISODE SLEIGHT

Soft lights, white walls, and the smell of sterilizing chemicals.

"Ooergh," moaned Tetsuya.

"I'm in the hospital, aren't I?" he said.

"Good observation," said a cold, familiar voice. "I'm glad you came to. It wouldn't be nearly as satisfying to kill you otherwise."

"I'm glad you made it out safely too, Kirijo-san," groaned Tetsuya. "Can you dim the lights? My entire head- no, entire body- feels like a giant tapdanced over it. How did the others fare?"

"Minato retreated almost immediately after your brother made his escape. So did the rest of the enemy forces. My team rigged the warehouse to look as if a gas main had broken, and I ordered everybody else home. Including SEES."

"Good," said Tetsuya as he covered his eyes and leaned back. "Good, nobody died." He began to laugh softly, wincing as his chest injuries made itself known.

"Tetsuya-san... the doctor-"

"I know. It's irrelevant. More importantly, as far as saving the world is concerned, we're back at square two."

Mitsuru gave him an odd look. "Square two? I'd say we're all the way back to square _zero_."

Tetsuya gave a painful cough and shook his head. "I said two. We're two steps ahead from where we were. We know who's truly pulling the strings of this affair, and we know the extent in which we can operate."

"'The extent in which we can operate?' They have both Minato and Ryoji on their side now. What can we hope to accomplish?"

Tetsuya pondered.

"...well?"

"Shush, I'm still thinking. I'm more used to just using what's in front of me to get the job done. My brother does the long-term logistics stuff."

"...we're doomed then. I'll inform the others to take time off for the next two-"

Tetsuya scowled and coughed. "Oh, stop that. That behavior's beneath you, Mitsuru Kirijo. There's a hundred ways to end the world, and a thousand ways to redeem it. I'm just trying to decide which one of the thousand to use."

"Well, make it quick- you've been out for a week."

"I- ..._what?!_"

* * *

_This isn't how things are supposed to be_.

"This coming... from the Appriser? I admit... I am shocked at your... reluctance."

_There was another path forged. A miracle accomplished. You would take this away?_

"Death... is the only absolute. The path forks... but rejoins. What difference does it make... if we should die now... or tomorrow?

"Besides... tell me... do you not hunger?"

_...I... **hunger**..._

"Then enough. You shall be... sated soon."

* * *

"Three days. You're kidding me. We have three days to figure it out?" protested Tetsuya.

"We? You're the one with the optimistic saying, Juno-san."

"Grr. Fine. Fine! My hotel room- get my briefcase, if you will. There's a wearable computer in there. The Juno Group digitized most of its records last year, after my brother... he... Anyhow, just get it for me, please."

"I'll be back soon."

"...actually, wait." Tetsuya furrowed his brow. "...I've been out for a week. Have you been watching over me this entire time?"

"...yes."

"..._why?_"

"I think I can still trust you. And, though I am upset at your family's role, it wasn't your fault."

"...thanks."

"I'll be back soon," said Mitsuru again. "Rest. I can heal your injuries when the Dark Hour comes, but not your fatigue."

* * *

Dark. Stars shown through the dormitory's windows. Ken gave a long sigh.

"Mm... what's wrong?" asked Yumi sleepily.

"Sorry, did I wake you up?"

"Kinda... you've been mopey since you got back. Did you get that thing with the Kirijos fixed...?"

Ken shook his head. "I'm... I'm afraid it's become something of a mess. Um, I might have to leave again in a few days."

It was Yumi's turn to sigh. She sat up, the waxing moon illuminating her nightgown. "Ken, I know you signed a confidentiality contract. But this is getting pretty silly."

"I-I know," said Ken, guiltily. "But-"

"Look, you came back covered in bruises and burns! What am I supposed to do- just sit back and see you fall apart? Ken..."

"I-I'm sorry for making you worry about me, Yumi..."

She leaned down to kiss him. "I'm afraid I'm losing you. I really don't want to. There isn't anybody else, right?"

"No! Of course not." He embraced her tightly, but found himself clutching a coffin. "...I swear, I'll make things right again."

* * *

"...you should really get some sleep," said Tetsuya absent-mindedly. A translucent wrap-around was perched upon his nose, flickering with lights and odd symbols as his hands twitched. "Seriously. I won't be done for a few hours."

Mitsuru shook her head. "I have everybody else on standby. The moment you figure out a way, we're getting ready."

"Ah, good. But, seriously, you should get some sleep." His eyes flickered in her direction. "You look exhausted."

"It's... been a trying one and a half weeks," she said.

"I'm sorry."

A pause. Tetsuya's fingers incessantly twitched, causing cascades of light to flash off his display.

"How did you and your brother inherit the Juno Group?" asked Mitsuru suddenly.

"Hm? Same way as you- bloodline inheritance. Um, Mother and Father were on a transpacific flight when their pilot was attacked during the Dark Hour."

"...oh, I'm- I'm sorry."

"It's no big deal." Tetsuya pushed his wearable to a more comfortable position. "Ten years ago, after all."

"...you were... twenty, then?"

Tetsuya gave an imperceptible shrug. "Yeah. Bit of a rocky start. Bro and I had to beat off usurpers with a bat. Um, literally. Still have the bat, actually, in case I have to give a company pep talk."

"...that is certainly... odd."

"Heh. Fun times."

Mitsuru stifled a yawn. "...you'll be taking over your brother's position when this all ends, right?"

"'When' this- oh, yeah, right. Sorry. Yeah, stock transfer to me, controlling power, ect. Going to have to invest in more bodyguards too, since they trust me less than they did Bro. Um... and probably write up a will really, really soon."

"...sorry."

Tetsuya chuckled. "You're weird when you're half asleep. Sorry? I'm the one still sucking down something like two, three packs a day. It's my choice to live as madly, as freely as I can manage it. You've seen my bro- so stressed, so constantly under attack, he turned out to be a drunkard. No wonder he chose his path- since the Janus Group sprung up, he must've believed that it's a matter of either shooting your own dog, or being a coward and let somebody do it for you. And he's too proud to consider otherwise."

"So you chose to slowly kill yourself as an alternative?"

Tetsuya looked at her over his shades and grin. "Memento mori. We all die eventually; it's how we live that matters- and I'd say I'm living pretty well. When the Reaper comes, I'll still be laughing."

"And there'll be the cries and lamentations of the women of your life during the funeral?" asked Mitsuru, smirking slightly.

"Nah. Never had a chance to settle down, for any amount of time. Think that's the only thing I regret."

"I'm surprised to hear that."

Tetsuya shrugged. "Speak for yourself. You rejected so many suitors, some of the big Japanese families are saying that you're a lesbian."

"..._they what._"

Tetsuya backed away slightly as the air suddenly chilled a few degrees. "Whoa, whoa. Not me. Don't shoot the messenger here."

"_Who said._"

"...you are absolutely terrifying when you're pissed, Kirijo-san. Um... look, I'll tell you on three conditions: one, you don't hurt me. Two, you wait for after we're done with the current fiasco. It's not going to matter if we don't succeed, right?"

"And the third?" said Mitsuru, calming down.

"...later, I think I'm onto some- ah... yes." Tetsuya pumped a fist in the air, and tossed his wearable computer off. "Tell me, does the word 'Monad' mean anything to you?"

Mitsuru gave him a quizzical look. "That was what we called the basement floor of Tartarus- it was unbelievably dangerous."

"Pfhah. I not only laugh in the face of danger, I steal its lunch money too. Look, I cross-applied the metaphysical and geographical terrain maps- oh, here." Tetsuya tossed her the computer. "Anyhow, cross-applied the two phase levels, and marked points of common convergence. I'm basing this off the Kirijo Gekkoukan project- we can use the old tramways, snake through _this_ junction..."

* * *

"We've 'exposed' enough men to station full squadrons of guards throughout the stationary floors," said Alex. "Given how my brother thinks, he'll be looking for access to the basement levels- possibly using the old Kirijo lab complex to do so. None of my men are equipped, unfortunately, to survive a Monad expedition for very long."

"Sounds... adequate," said Takaya distantly. "So long as they don't interfere."

"...am I boring you, Shepherd?"

"Your plans are... sensible, Juno. But... ultimately unnecessary."

"I know my brother. He'll turn a low denominator into an ace up his sleeve if you don't watch him every step of the way."

"He cannot... change destiny. It has been written... in ink."

"Yes, but ten years ago, somebody scribbled over it and wrote a new conclusion."


	8. Chapter 8

Eight – Episode Dread

"You know, having all those black vans outside the hospital hardly seems inconspicuous..." noted Tetsuya.

"There was no other choice. Speed is of essence, yes?" asked Mitsuru. Tetsuya nodded. "Alright, everybody, I'm glad you could make it, and I'm sorry about disrupting your lives again."

"Hey, it was kind of hard to focus on training for my next match when the world's about to end- again," quipped Akihiko. "We couldn't just ignore it last time- we can't just ignore it this time, right?"

"So this is the last shot?" asked Yukari.

"If this fails," replied Aigis. "There will be exactly zero percent probability of success. This is very much our last shot."

"Then let's make it count," said Ken.

* * *

The night of the attack, as the body of his enemy tumbled to the ground with clipped wings, he saw the moon. A baleful green-yellow crescent, like a narrowed eye, glaring deeply into him.

The spark of memory distracted him so much, he could barely focus on the fight.

Yes, that baseball cap was familiar. As was that stubborn look of determination. And that brunette- if you shortened her hair, washed off ten years of struggles and hard work... and that flash of red. A face of striking, diamond-hard beauty, crouched down near the crumpled form below him, looking up with... fear? Regret? Longing?

Then a wave of crushing despair swept over him- not from him, but from within the target. And, suddenly, his master called him back.

Confusion.

Doubt.

* * *

"Thank you," said Tetsuya as Mitsuru handed him an Evoker. "And for the heal, too. Would've hated to sit this one-" A sudden spasm of coughing. "...yeah. I'll bring some cough drops."

"You sure you want to go with us?" she asked. "I... haven't told anybody else, but-"

Tetsuya shook his head. "Don't be silly. My brother started this, it's my duty to end it. ...I'm more concerned about that dog, actually."

Koromaru, grizzled with age and much, much larger and wolflike, loped off of the van and followed Ken into the darkened basement of the office complex.

"Koro-chan has as much right to see the end of this through as the rest of us," said Aigis. "You would be surprised at what that dog can do."

* * *

_Heavy firepower._

"I'm glad you approve. Takaya, they've cleared out the final Guardian," said Alex, pocketing his radio. "You're clear to move on up."

_Mankind's talent in destruction is, as always, impressive. I find myself in admiration, against my will._

Alex nodded as he activated the teleporter, kicking aside spent shells and bullet fragments. "That's a large part of the whole problem, isn't it?"

_But humanity's greatest talent was always the act of _creation_... even in the face of decay's inevitability, they struggle to stay one step ahead. Often, they succeed._

Alex glared silently at the chained coffin-like apparatus.

* * *

"I take it back," wheezed Tetsuya as black and purple flames dissipated. "The dog can stay. Jeez."

Koromaru howled, and Monad shuddered under his fury.

* * *

"Captain Smith, any signs of my brother or his companions?" inquired Alex.

"Sir, no sir. Awfully quiet on all floors, sir." crackled the radio.

"Now isn't... that odd..." said Takaya with a smug grin. "Perhaps... they've learned... wisdom, and decided not to... interfere."

Alex barked out a bitter laugh. "Wisdom? My brother? Don't underestimate a Juno, Takaya. The bastard's got something up his sleeve. He _always_ does."

"If you... insist. Nonetheless... the world... ends tonight."

* * *

"Let's take a break here," said Tetsuya, stopping at the stairs. "Everybody alright? Aigis, your power level okay?"

Aigis nodded. "I am running off a sixty-hour nanomesh lithium pack. I am in no danger of running out of power."

"Glad to hear." He dropped his backpack, and pulled out a few cans. "I, on the other hand? Need to refuel. Sanada-san?"

"Yeah, thanks." Akihiko caught the flung can. "Juno-san, you know we can't rest too long, right?"

"Yeah, I know, only two more hours to go."

"No, not that."

The air suddenly grew still. The distant clinking of chains could be heard. Koromaru growled lowly.

"...oooookay, that's creepy. Bad news?"

"Very," said SEES.

Tetsuya chugged the energy drink down quickly.

* * *

Alex paced irritably at the final set of stairs. "...something's bothering me. Captain!"

"Sir?"

"You said something earlier- 'all's quiet?'"

"Sir. No report of any suspicious activity."

"What about Shadow activity?"

"Um... negative, sir."

Takaya narrowed his eyes. "...that is an impossibility."

"My brother's good at those," growled Alex. "Patrol all levels! Retreat only if the Reaper is on your tail! Takaya, it's time."

Takaya nodded. "Very well. I was tired... of waiting."

* * *

As the moon waxed, so did his doubts.

More memories, faint and alien, but heavy and full of portent. Flickers of ghostly emotions intruded upon his sterile existence. The memory of hot food, a bad joke, shared secrets, shared tragedies.

A kiss.

It didn't feel like his memories. Or, it did, but there was something detached in its quality. As if he was viewing a movie from all the way in the back row. Somebody's else's life, being played in his head. But the images stuck, festered in his memory.

And, one night, just before the moon was full, it wasn't detached at all. In the darkness of his sparse, spartan dorm, he was wracked with... a nightmare? A dream of bitter longing? He felt fractured, torn between raging and weeping; laughing and howling. The moon glared green down through his small window, washing over his grief-struck face.

They picked him up the next morning. Nothing showed. His face was impassive as always. If the seeds of doubt were beginning to splinter his heart, not even Takaya knew. It was too deep, far too deep.

* * *

Shock.

There was no other way to describe it. That leering, playful grin. Those eyes lit up in almost childlike excitement, despite the context of their surroundings. The wind howled over the altar of Nyx, high atop of Tartarus, and Alex Juno, burdened with the casket containing Death, was shocked to find his brother pointing a gun to his head, the others taking position in a wide arc around them.

"Hey, bro. What took you so long?" asked Tetsuya. "We've been waiting for hours! Felt like days, even. Three days, to be exact."

"You... you took advantage of the temporal displacement effect," said Alex as realization dawned. "Clever. Very clever. How'd you get past the guardians?"

"SEES has been to _all_ the floors before. The teleporter apparently still recalls."

Alex laughed quietly. "I'm impressed, brother. You actually thought this through. Only, you forgot something."

"Oh?"

"Me," said Takaya, as a spear of black fire and smoke flew out of the darkness of the stairway, slamming into Tetsuya, knocking him ten feet back. Takaya sauntered up, unbound by the wheelchair, a dark glimmer in his eyes as he prepared another volley.

"Target acquired," said Aigis behind him. The loud roar of a rocket, a blazing trail of fire... missing Alex, and knocking the casket out of his grip.

"Ooh, that stung," griped Tetsuya as he shakily regained his footing, and quickly grabbed for the casket, hoisting it up as a shield, and ducking behind. "Ooph, heavy. My apologies, Appriser, but you're on meat shield duty. Looks like we've got the upper hand, bro."

_You fool!_

"Eh?"

Takaya laughed loudly. "The ritual, you idiot, is for that which sealed Nyx to _un_seal her. By wresting away the power of the Appriser. Via sacrifice. Arisato-san, if you will."

"...oh, well. Shit."

"Minato, stop!" Mitsuru ran in front of Tetsuya, rapier at the read. "Think for a second about what you're doing."

"Get out of the way, Kirijo," hissed Tetsuya. "He doesn't remember you- don't expect mercy!"

"If he doesn't remember me, why did he pause?" she snapped back.

Takaya's eyes widened, then narrowed angrily as he slowly turned around and faced his charge.

"What... is the meaning of this?"

* * *

Turmoil.

An emotional earthquake shuddered through Minato's psyche. His hand trembled, years of training and imprinting keeping his finger tightly pressed upon the trigger of the Evoker.

But a counterweight presented itself- the stern reprimand of a voice echoing out of the years before, and searing its way into his mind now.

* * *

"You... remember," said Takaya, a dark smirk leering across. "No matter. Pull the trigger, Arisato. You have reason enough to hate this world. Isn't that right, Kirijo-san?"

"What are you talking... Mitsuru, what's he talking about?" asked Tetsuya quickly. "Mitsuru? Yamagishi-sensei, what...?"

Mitsuru trembled silently.

"She... she ordered his euthanasia," said Fuuka quietly. "He was comatose for about half a year before she asked us... if we would approve..."

"She betrayed you," hissed Takaya smugly. "Every last one of your closest friends... except the dog, I suppose. They all betrayed you, in the end. They killed you, Arisato- the very reason you saved the world, and they turned on you. An eye for an eye, yes?"

"It... was hardly an easy decision to make," said Mitsuru through clenched teeth. "Every day after that... every night... if I thought there was any other way... but... I didn't want you to suffer anymore."

"But there was another way," hissed Takaya, a small, smoldering ember of anger in his voice. "You were resurrected, were you not? Are you not now standing before her? The Kirijo Group knew of the Juno's experimentations-"

"That's a lie!"

"They _knew_. _She knew_. And now she stands, protecting another man. _Pull the trigger_."

A pause. For far too long.

Takaya sighed. "I knew it wasn't going to be easy. Juno."

"Right," said Alex.

Alex pulled out a heavy handgun. For a moment, as he pointed it at Takaya's head, there was a surge of hope running through Tetsuya- dying instantly when, after the smoke cleared, Takaya's body was on the ground...

...and a low, growing chuckle came from Minato.

The way his eyes leered at the world, the haughty grin. There was no mistaking it.

"I win," said Minato, possessed by the devil.

Click- _bam_.


	9. Chapter 9

Nine – Episode Gemini

Tetsuya coughed painfully. Dark blood splattered out, running down the sides of his mouth.

He barely dodged the giant sword that had suddenly materialized, slicing Ryoji's coffin in half. He barely noticed the gore. The dark miasma that had enveloped Minato's body, turning him into the avatar of demise, had exploded out, specifically at him, flooding his lungs and ears and eyes. Suddenly nerveless knees betrayed him, sending him sprawling to the floor.

"Shit... shit..." was all he could groan.

Alex stared impassively forward.

"Takeba, cover Juno-san," said Mitsuru, snapping out of her shock. "Everybody, as we planned! Be relentless-"

The burst of wind scattered them, knocking them perilously close to the edge.

_Do you not yet understand? Victory is mine. With your deaths, with your blood sacrifices, Nyx shall be unsealed upon this world. Oh, he screams. But I'm in charge now._

Another burst of wind. They scrambled for the statues ringing the perimeter, clutching tightly against the gale-force pressures.

Only Yukari found purchase against the onslaught, her persona shielding Tetsuya against the fury of the storm.

"Juno-san, focus!" she yelled over the winds. "C'mon, get up! Get up!"

His vision blurred and throbbed. His chest seared. What didn't hurt was numb, unresponsive.

He got up anyhow.

"I..." said Tetsuya shakily. "Am going to kick your ass. Save the world. And have a cigarette."

* * *

The clarity was _painful_. It blasted at his mind, tore at his sanity. The total, absolute, terrifying omniscience seared like hellfire across his thoughts, and a giant, putrid hand was pinning him down, keeping him from doing anything about it but scream as the burning nightmare roared.

He saw her, struggling through the storm, saw into her guilt, saw through her determination.

He saw the desolate wasteland of _his_ mind, hope long since washed away under a deluge of loss and booze.

He saw something that surprised him. An idle thought of curiosity that, for a moment, distracted him from the pain.

Winds this strong should've snuffed out that fire.

* * *

"Give up," said Alex coldly. "You're just killing yourself like this."

"Takeba-san, thank you," growled Tetsuya. "Protect the others now. I'm fine." He took a faltering step, then firmly surged against the wind.

"Otouto-kun... stop being so reckless."

"Ha, that's something you haven't called me in a while, _Aniki_," spat Tetsuya. "But I ain't dyin' without kicking one more ass."

Alex chuckled softly, unaffected by the buffeting winds. "You're half-dead already. The cancer was accelerated. How can you even _dream_ to go up against a god?"

"I wasn't talking about Nyx."

"...oh."

The sharp metallic sound of two guns being drawn and loaded at the same time.

Alex grinned, eyes hard and sharp. "That's an Evoker you're holding, idiot."

Tetsuya barked out a laugh. "So's yours."

"You really are my brother."

Gunfire.

* * *

"What the hell are they doing!" yelled Junpei as Yukari helped him back up.

"Part of the plan!" yelled back Mitsuru. "Iori, we need some defensive support. Keep Takaya on you!"

"Plan?! What plan! The plan's in shambles! The plan's falling apart like my department's budget! The plan-"

"Stupei, shut up and get to work!"

Mitsuru bit back a desperate, maddened laugh. She lied- it wasn't a plan. It was a gamble. God might not play dice with the world, but Tetsuya certainly will.

But what else can you do but hope?

* * *

Talons of incandescent wrath sliced through thick, dizzying webs of deceit. Ethereal screams shook the top of Tartarus. It was two battles, two storms.

_What are you doing?_

_Trusting you._

_Odd way of showing it._

_You always come out on top. Always. Even if you're behind. No matter how many games of poker I win from you, you just make up the loss the next day from some sucker in Wall Street._

_This isn't a game._

_Wrong, this is the only game left in town. Only, your partner's a crook, your opponent's running a charity, and both sides are all in. Time to show your hand, cowboy._

_You won't like it. Really._

_Like hell I... you didn't._

_Like you said- all in._

* * *

"You didn't hesitate for a second, did you?"

Blood dripped down.

"I guess I see what you did. To make sure he didn't renege on your deal..."

"...I imprinted his fate to mine. Neat trick, eh?"

A hand reached up and patted Tetsuya's shoulders.

"Don't cry, little bro. I'll make things alright again."

"...idiot..."

* * *

The hellfire roared... then shrank. The pain was there, still sharp, but suddenly it wasn't so important.

"The blood of kin's always been a powerful focal medium," said a wry voice, old and heavy with wisdom. "But that's no longer of concern to you. Rest now, dear boy. This time... undisturbed."

* * *

_...**you**._

"Yeah, me," said Tetsuya listlessly. "Game over. Your powers are bound. The Appriser's no more."

_You are **sorely** mistaken._

The Avatar of Nyx surged to the sky, and the moon grew vast.

_How can you weaken the infinite? How can you stop the endless? Ten years ago, all that was done was to delay the inevitable. _

_The end has come._

"He only has strength enough to break the seal," said Tetsuya dully. "If he does anything else, he won't be able to."

"Right," said Mitsuru.

The shattering of ice. A scream of despair, of finality. The avatar's mask-like face crumbled, columns of terrible light searing out of the cracks.

"I'm tired," said Tetsuya.

He closed his eyes.

* * *

"A job well done indeed. My condolences for your loss, but I am sure you understand. All things have a price, and the price of life is always, eternally, death.

"But, before you ask, you are not... quite... dead. A situation that can certainly be remedied- either way. However, I cannot cure what ails you. I cannot manipulate your destiny, merely facilitate it. If it is rest you seek, I have ensured matters so that you, nor Arisato-san, will be bothered by such machinations again.

"The choice is, of course, yours to make."


	10. Epilogue

Epilogue – Episode Phoenix

PORT ISLAND, JAPAN, 10:24 AM, 2024

The groom was sheepish, the bride was radiant, and overall there was a festive atmosphere over Port City. For a mere assistant manager with Kirijo International, the celebration was absolutely out of this world, with security teams cordoning off whole blocks to keep the paparazzi out. Akihiko Sanada of Japan's Olympic boxing team, Professor Fuuka Yamagishi of the nearby Port Island University's groundbreaking AI research institute, even Mitsuru Kirijo herself- the security measures were not at all beyond necessity.

The couple didn't notice. Love shrinks the universe a bit.

"Cheers!" laughed Akihiko as he dropped by Mitsuru's table, two flutes of wine in hand. "I've gotta say, Ken's got good taste in women."

"Hmm, indeed," agreed Mitsuru. "She seems to make him very happy. I don't think she likes me much, though."

"Ah, that's because of two years ago. Bruises don't fade when the Dark Hour went away."

"Ah, I understand. ...what about you?"

Akihiko gave her a blank look. "What about me?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Last I heard, you were 'in talks' with an elementary school teacher named... hm... Yuko something?"

Akihiko blanched. "Dammit, you found out? Mitsuru, I haven't even asked her on-"

"She'll say yes, don't worry. She's a fan of yours."

"Really?"

Mitsuru nodded, and finished her wine.

"...what about you?" asked Akihiko seriously. "Is-" Mitsuru's phone rang. "Ah, sorry, go ahead."

She flicked her phone open, and winced as a ranting torrent roared out. "Ah, Mr. President. ...no, unfortunately, I don't believe I will. No. No, I will most certainly _not_ issue an apology." Mitsuru smirked. "I'd wish you a good day, but we both know I'd be lying. The Nanjo Group _will_ be bought out. I'm already in talks with your shareholders." She chuckled freely as the phone was snapped close. "Sorry, Akihiko. Oh, I think I better ask Aigis to replace my service too- this was my private number."

"What was that about?" asked Akihiko, grinning. "Certainly didn't sound like one of your usual business calls."

"It's an old slight, don't worry."

"The Nanjo Group, right? Didn't the Nanjo heir feel you up that one date?"

Mitsuru glared at him and bapped him on the head. "Thank you for reminding me. It was related to that, yes."

"Heh, sorry, sorry. But about my previous question..."

She gave a tired smile. "It's fine. Everything's fine."

* * *

"Yuka-tan! I heard you got a book deal!" exclaimed Junpei as he plopped himself into a seat facing her. "Whoa, you, um, might want to cut back on those cocktails a bit."

"Ehehehe..." she giggled. "I'm celebrating! Go Ken-kun! Junpei-kun, have a drink with meeee!"

"Man... I'm gonna get Aigis to watch over you."

"Awww..."

* * *

Midnight came and went.

Elsewhere a couple was exploring the wide boundaries of their newfound matrimony. A robot with a soul was helping a budding novelist with the aftermaths of excessive exuberance. A man more complete than most dozed and dreamed of beauty. A famous face was being made to feel like a teenager all over again. A professor's hand reached down to pet a weary warrior as she immersed herself in an engine set to accelerate the world to an unknowable future.

"Hey," said a faint voice.

"Hey yourself. Feeling alright?"

"As well as can be expected. Threw up a bit after dinner- you know how chemo is."

"No, actually. But I can guess."

"Heh."

Silence.

"Hey, you don't need to stay every night. I'm sure it's affecting your business relations."

"That's where having Aigis as a friend and co-worker comes in handy, actually."

He laughed quietly. "I remember."

"Doctor Higawa says you're making good progress," informed Mitsuru. "Should only be another few weeks."

"Ah... good. A few weeks 'til solid food again."

Silence again.

"Tetsuya-"

"Mitsuru-"

Mitsuru gave a sheepish grin as Tetsuya laughed, a little more strongly than before.

"Oh, that was great. Right, ignoring the cliche- what was it you wanted to say?"

"I... it's the anniversary of his... the void your brother left. You know I can't fill it."

Tetsuya grinned. "I was going to say the same about Arisato-san."

"...oh."

He chuckled as he reached for a glass of water. His arm was bone-thin- depletion from months of intensive care. Mitsuru helped him.

"...you never did tell me what your third condition was," she noted as she went to refill the glass. She gave him an odd look as his chuckling grew louder, interspersed with fits of coughing. "What? What's so funny?"

"Mitsuru Kirijo, when I finally get out of this godforsaken bed, will you accept a dinner invitation with me?"

She smiled.

* * *

_AN: ...I'm done? I'm done. I'M DONE! This is officially the first work of fiction (outside of school-related BS) that I've actually completed- on my own terms- and in something that shockingly resembles a timely manner. Might've even been too quick- I was originally planning daily updates. And, no, if it isn't obvious, there wasn't a single beta reader involved. I might have to reconsider that for whatever I tackle next..._

_So, yeah. I like Mitsuru. She reminds me of a good friend. If I spent the usual weeks-long angsting over the plot details, I probably wouldn't have gone a Mitsuru/OC route- usually, original characters are a sign of serious and irritating cheese. And while I love the dairy form of it, literary cheese is something I'm virulently allergic to. Do I think I managed to avoid it in this fic?_

_...HELL no._

_I pretty much wrote this with _myself_ as the target audience, as a therapeutic measure against Trinity Soul. Unfortunately, writing for yourself isn't the best means to deal with potentially troubling characterization. I do hope, however, that I spared you, the rest of the audience, the worst of the usual fallacies when fanfiction writers decide that what the story _really_ needs is a few new faces._

_Thank you for reading all the way through with this! And for those of you that have read my stuff before- never fear. The rise of the Seitenkan movement has drastically renewed my interested in the universe of Suzumiya Haruhi. It's been, what, eight months? But there will be updates!_

_Again, thanks for reading!_


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